


Hard To Breathe Sometimes

by Nephilim_Becca



Series: It Never Rains Forever [3]
Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec Comes Out More, Alec is 17, Alternate Universe - Human, Bad Parents, I Still Love Isabelle Lightwood Being Supportive Sister!, Izzy and Jace are 16, homophobic parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-08 01:12:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18622021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nephilim_Becca/pseuds/Nephilim_Becca
Summary: “Mum, dad, there’s something I need to tell you.” Alec’s voice was quiet as he spoke, his knife and fork sitting on his half empty plate to hide the fact that his whole body was shaking.“I’m gay.”





	Hard To Breathe Sometimes

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this one's really short as it's setting up for the next part. Hopefully it's okay.

“Mum, dad, there’s something I need to tell you.” Alec’s voice was quiet as he spoke, his knife and fork sitting on his half empty plate to hide the fact that his whole body was shaking. He could feel Izzy’s hand resting against his leg, trying to give him all the support he needed. The eyes of his parents were on him. Alec reached down and grabbed Izzy’s hand, squeezing it tightly, and Izzy squeezed back. Alec met his parents’ eyes before he spoke again, “I’m gay.” The word didn't feel so wrong now, after two years, it just felt like him. There was a long pause then at the table as Alec waited with bated breath, needing to hear a response from either of them.  
  
“What about Lydia?” Robert asked after what felt like eternity, his eyes focused on his eldest son. “You get on well with her don’t you.” It wasn’t a question.  
  
“It’s not the same, I like her, she’s friendly, but I don’t _like_ her,” Alec replied, putting extra emphasis on the later part of the sentence. It was true they’d tried dating once, not that they ever did anything, not even kiss each other, but it was how Alec had realised he was gay. That was when he was 15, now he was 17, and today was the day he’d chosen to come out to his parents. Izzy had known for ages, in fact, she’d been the first to know. She'd come home from school one day when Alec was 15 and heard him crying, and without thinking Alec had opened up and told his 13 year old sister everything; and from that moment she had stood with Alec every time he needed her to.  
  
“Well, who do you like then?” Robert asked, “There must be someone. Your final year at school starts in a next week, who do you intend to take to your prom?” Alec just shrugged, he hadn’t been intending to take anyone to prom, heck, he hadn’t even been intending to go to prom. “A shrug isn’t an answer, Alexander.”  
  
Alec hated it when his parents used his full name. It was always used with disappointment or anger, and it felt like acid rolling through Alec’s blood every time it happened. “I don’t like anyone yet, not in that way.”  
  
Robert laughed, it wasn’t a kind laugh either, “Well, how do you know you're gay then? Maybe you just need to meet the right girl.”  
  
“It doesn’t work like that dad.” Alec replied, his cheeks starting to tinge red, a mixture of anger and embarrassment. “I don’t have an attraction to females, not in that way. Some of them are friendly enough, but not for me.” He paused, thinking back to what he’d said to Lydia after he’d realised. “They deserve someone who will love them, and I will never be that person.”  
  
This time it was Maryse voice that broke the silence, “Alexander, please, think about what you’re saying. If you make this choice, it will destroy us.”  
  
Alec felt Izzy’s hand tense on his leg, he could see the tightness of her mouth, her eyes never left her parents. Quickly, Alec grabbed her hand holding it in his again, as they often did when they were supporting each other.  
  
“It’s not a choice.” Despite his hand being wrapped around Izzy’s, drawing strength from her, Alec’s voice still came out in more of a whisper. “Do you think, if it were a choice, I’d be sat here now saying this to you?” Alec drew in a shaky breath. “I have wished and prayed to anyone that might hear that it wasn’t true, that somehow it was just…” Alec broke off, he felt another hand resting gently on his shoulder, and he glanced up at Jace, giving him a small smile.  
  
“If you wanted it to be change then change it.” Robert said, his voice quiet with bubbling anger. “I will not let you destroy this family over a… a phase!” His voice rose as his speech came to an end, and Alec visibly flinched.  
  
After a deep breath, Alec continued, “I did try, it didn’t work, I accepted that. This is who I am.”  
  
“Alexander… Alec, please,” his mother's voice was pleading, but as Alec turned his eyes on her, she looked away.  
  
“I will not have some, some,” It looked like Robert was struggling for words, “someone like you living in this house.”  
  
There was a sharp intake of breath, whether it was from Alec or Izzy, their parents weren’t sure, but they could see from the way Alec slouched in his chair that the argument was over from him. It had been the one thing Alec wouldn’t argue against. If they kicked him out and decided they didn’t want to know him anymore, fine, he would go.  
  
Izzy had different plans though, and she spoke loudly, her voice several pitches higher than normal. “How dare you.” The anger in her voice was palpable. “How dare you say that to Alec. He’s done everything, and I mean everything, to try and be the best he can, but the one second he says something about himself that he can’t change, you treat him like this.” Alec was tugging lightly on her hand, trying to get her to stop.  
  
“Trying to be the best he can. Isabelle really! Look at what he’s doing to us now, how he’s destroying all of our relationships, and it’s all because of a choice he’s made.” Robert was angry. They could see the veins showing in his neck as his throat became tight. They could see him shaking, trying to control himself.  
  
Izzy knew it wasn’t going to last. Her voice was deathly quiet, and yet no one in the room missed what she said: “I don’t think Alec is the one who's ‘destroying relationships’ in this family. What do you think, dad? What about Anne-Mary or whatever her name was. If I remember right, that was even before Max, so I think that title falls to you!” The rest of the colour drained from Roberts face. Alec glanced between Izzy and his parents. Clearly there was something here he’d missed, something big, had Robert cheated on his mother?  
  
There was over a minute of solid silence after that, no one looked at Alec, in fact, three pairs of eyes were on Robert, Maryse being the only one looking elsewhere, as Roberts cold fury was aimed towards Isabelle.  
  
"Get. Out." The aggression in Roberts voice was clear to everyone in the room. The boil of hatred as he looked at his only daughter with eyes that didn't actually seem to see her.  
  
Alec stood quickly and grabbed Izzy before Robert could speak again. “Izzy, please, don’t.” He spoke quietly, his voice only for her, however his eyes met his parents, “if this is their decision, I’ll go, we knew this could happen…” He was tugging her towards the door, away from his fathers’ anger. His mother had tears running down her cheeks, Alec wasn’t sure whether it was because of Izzy or himself. It was the last thing he saw before he shut the door though. Izzy ran off upstairs, expecting Alec to follow.

**Author's Note:**

> I should hope it's obvious, but in case it isn't - Anything Robert/Maryse say is not a belief I have. Everyone should be free to love whomever they want, no matter of gender, ethnicity, faith etc.


End file.
